Málaga are back on top of the second division after a 0-1 victory at Cádiz on Saturday evening, their first win in the Carranza stadium in thirteen years. Baha got the only goal of the game straight from the initial kick off, timed at around 14 seconds. After that the locals pushed for the equaliser, Goitia the busiest man on the park. Bezares had a penalty appeal turned down as well, but the visitors could have gone further ahead when Hidalgo had a goal disallowed for offside on the stroke of half time. López Muñiz's side were left with ten men when Jesús Gámez picked up a second booking with twenty minutes to go, but they held on to ensure the first three points of the new year.

Málaga move a point ahead of last week's leaders Numancia, who were held to a 0-0 draw at Castellón earlier in the evening. Pepe Murcia was in charge of the locals for the first time after Pepe Moré was fired during the Christmas break, and his side had the better of the first half, Tavares wasting a good chance and Txiki having a goal disallowed for a dubious offside. Carlos Sánchez did have some work to do after the restart, but Arana could have won it for Castellón when he burst past several defenders only to shoot against the post. In the end though it was another point for the Soria based side, who have yet to lose away from home.

Elsewhere Eibar moved up to within three points of the promotion spots after beating Albacete 1-0. The Manchegans were looking to build on their recent mini-revival and climb out of the drop zone, and Morán hit the bar in the first half. But Just before half time Del Olmo headed the Basque side into the lead from a long free kick. The visitors were left with ten men with ten minutes to go after Valbuena was sent off for giving away a penalty, but Altuna fired the spot kick over the bar. (05.01.08)

Eight matches on Sunday, with third placed Sporting Gijón fighting back with ten men to draw 2-2 at Córdoba on Sunday lunchtime. Miguel was sent off with twenty minutes on the clock for a foul on Endika, and Roberto kept out a couple of efforts before Javi Moreno picked up a rebound to open the scoring four minutes before the break. And when Juanlu beat the keeper with a long shot a couple of minutes later the locals seemed to have wrapped things up. But Matabuena scored two in a minute midway through the second half, the first after Morán set him up and the second with a shot from just over the halfway line, to save a point for the Asturians. Once again Córdoba had thrown away the lead at home, and they have now drawn eleven of their nineteen games. (06.01.08)

Real Sociedad (with new president Iñaki Badiola in the stands) were beaten 3-2 in the last minute by Salamanca, their first defeat in ten games. The locals took the lead in the first minute when Jorge Alonso got on the end of Isaac's cross to head past Riesgo. Uranga equalised two minutes after the restart, and although Alonso restored the lead with a free kick, Aranburu made it all square again with a shot from 35 metres out. Local keeper Pagola had to be replaced with B team substitute Pedro after injuring himself saving from Díaz de Cerio, and Alonso almost completed his hat-trick with a shot from the half way line in injury time which Riesgo just managed to turn over the bar. However from the resulting corner the referee awarded a much protested penalty and sent off Gerardo for a second booking, and David Rodríguez stepped up to fire home the spot kick.

Celta also lost 3-2 to Tenerife in their first game of the new year, a result which takes the Canary Islanders level with their opponents in the table. Manolo Martínez headed the hosts into the lead in the eleventh minute, but Jesús Perera made it all square five minutes later on a rapid counter attack. Oscar Pérez got the second for the locals though in a quick passing move midway through the first half, and Nino made it three with a spectacular strike close to half time, his tenth of the season taking him to the top of the Pichichi chart. Okkas got another one back though with ten minutes to go, and Raúl Navas had to be at his best to prevent Ayoze from saving a point for the visitors near the end.

Sevilla Atlético took advantage to move back above all of them to fourth after beating Hércules 1-2. There was little action until five minutes before the break, when Blas Pérez failed to score with only keeper Javi Varas to beat. But seven minutes after the interval the Panamanian striker picked up a pass from Tote to open the scoring and put the home side ahead. Alfaro equalised a couple of minutes later though, lobbing the advancing keeper Unai Alba, and although new signing Ion Vélez went close at the other end, Salva Sevilla got the winner in injury time after Pablo Sánchez set him up. Sevilla were left with ten men when David Prieto picked up a second booking right at the end.

Las Palmas's victory meant that Xerez are now in bottom spot after they could only draw 0-0 at Poli Ejido, who themselves are only one place above the relegation spots. Samuel headed wide and Antoñito hit the post as the visitors pushed forward at the start, but Porató had to be on his toes to keep out Pedro Vega and Moreno at the other end either side of half time. Both teams had chances later on, but neither really looked like scoring, and in the end they had to make do with a point.

Only one point separates the bottom four though, with Racing Ferrol dropping down below Albacete after losing 1-0 at Alavés. The Gañlicians had not won in twelve games, and although they had the better of the first half, they could have fallen behind when David Coromina headed against the bar following a corner five minutes before the break. A triple substitution by local coach Josu Uribe turned the tide though, and Coromina got on the end of a Sergio Rodríguez free kick to head the only goal past Queco Piña a quarter of an hour from the end.

Gimnàstic are also in trouble after a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Granada 74, and they ended the weekend just two places off the drop zone after seven games without a win. Calle missed an easy chance for the visitors early on, but after that the locals took over, Luque hitting the post and Gibanel forcing a good save out of Roberto either side of half time. With ten minutes to go though Oscar Arpón got himself sent off for a second bookable offence, and from Luque's resulting free kick Saizar played the ball on for Javi Guerra to score. The defeat signalled the end for Nàstic coach Javier López, who was fired soon afterwards. (06.01.08)